I've been whining about it for the last two days, mostly to myself, but g'damn IT Band! It has given me problems in the past, so I am always careful to treat it nice. But the last two days my left knee has been quite painful, and has actually made me curse and whimper more than a few times. I think I know the reason it is so pissed off at me this time. I've been increasing my base training, of course. I am back to two workouts a day, most days, but keeping them to 60-90 minutes.
I have been increasing the intensity of my cycling workout with gear power pyramids: 15 minute warm-up at 90+ cadence; then with lower gear for 70-75 max cadence/higher gear for 90+ cadence: 1 min low/4 min high, 2 min low/3 min high, 3 min low/2 min high, 4 min low/1 min high, 5 min low, then reverse. followed by 20 minutes high cadence, and 10 minutes cool-down. I also do gearing pyramids, tempo work, and tabata drills, as well as 90 minute high cadence spins.
I have eased back into running after getting waylaid with the respiratory crud that has been sweeping through the state. I still get the hacking cough cropping up randomly for a day or so, then disappearing for a week or two, before coming back like an evil birthday surprise. So I have had to keep my respiratory rate fairly low, to avoid flareups.
I have also added kick drills to my swim sessions. I know I won't be using my legs much during my tri swims, but I need to increase my kick strength. If for no other reason than that it is good core work, and adds leg strength, and hip, knee and ankle conditioning.
Okay, back to the IT pain, and the whining about it. Like I said, I've been increasing my base training, and trying to be fairly careful with stretching, specific strength training, yoga, and foam rolling. I have really increased my all around legwork the last few weeks. But here's what I think kicked my knee over the edge: fun times at the fire station. Yeah, I'm blaming my bunker boots. Wednesday night drill was Search and Rescue. I was assigned to E425 since my beloved Engine 485 wasn't invited to play. In the first scenario, our engine was first in, and there was a "victim" on the third floor that we had to find. The drill tower was full of smoke (non-toxic theatrical smoke that smells like peaches) and we were in full gear, respirators and all, so toting an extra 60lbs or so. The three of us scrambled in and up the stairs, on our knees since it was a simulated IDLH environment (imminent danger to life and health aka smokey and hot), and hauling a non-loaded hose line. We searched and quickly found the victim on the third floor of the tower, and hauled him out in record time. The second scenario was similar, but our engine was the ground floor search team so we were crawling on concrete hauling a loaded attack line, and once we found the victim it was all we could do to drag him out from where he was lodged. Our "victims" were very large cadets. These boys were easy 200 pounders. Then after the festivities there was much slogging around the drill grounds restoring engines and SCBAs.
I really think that it was walking all over the place in my heavy boots and all the gear that made my knee finally throw up its proverbial hands and say, "I give." It was already tired and feeling abused, then I go and add insult to injury by crawling around on the concrete schlepping heavy hose lines, then walking around carelessly in what amounts to 5 pound ankle weights and a 40 pound pack. My poor body. I'm surprised it doesn't just give up altogether and leave me on the side of the road.
Now I am having to back off of my running for a few days, concentrate on what amounts to physical therapy, and hope I don't lose too much conditioning, again. Some days I think I am too old for this shit, then I think, "Yeah, but it's hella fun anyway."
